


Refills and Sketches

by Mirror_Verse, ShyPumpkin



Series: Mirror-Verse [24]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Coffee Shops, Flashbacks, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-15
Updated: 2013-05-15
Packaged: 2017-12-11 23:20:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/804402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirror_Verse/pseuds/Mirror_Verse, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyPumpkin/pseuds/ShyPumpkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>PAST: Cas stumbles upon employment in the cafe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Refills and Sketches

Soft jazz filtered overhead, dishes clattered, and happy chatter filled the empty spaces, but it all blended into white noise as Castiel put the finishing touches on his sketch. He set his pencil down and surveyed the drawing with a frown. 

A cat stood back on its hind legs and pawed at a precarious beehive.

It was far from his best work. The cat’s eyes were focused at a point somewhere beyond the hive and yet not quite on the bee beside it. He furrowed his eyebrows.

“Oh! What a darling cat!” Cas sat up rigidly, his head snapping to the side. A young Asian woman stood beside him, holding a grey plastic tub full of dishes. He met her eyes before looking down at the drawing once more.

“It is far from darling, but I appreciate your attempts to cheer me.” The girl chuckled and wiped her hand on her apron.

“Yeah, I know how that feels.” She leaned over the drawing and hummed, “My cat has eyes like that.” Cas looked up at her with a frown. “Cross-eyed, you know?” She crossed her eyes and smiled. She didn’t look much like the cat. “Heh, well, mind if I take those dishes for you?”

He considered the tea mug in front of him. It had been empty for an hour. Six hours and four refills had passed since he had entered the cafe. The tea bag had lost its potency.

The girl cleared her throat. “Or maybe you want another refill? Although, I can’t say hot water will perform magic on that tea bag.” 

A pang of guilt shot through him. “I… apologize. I have been here for many hours without making another purchase. If necessary, I can leave.” The barrista put her hands up, about dropping the tub. 

“No, not at all, kid!” He looked up at her, his nose scrunching. She did not appear to be much older than he was. “Do you go to the college?” 

Cas nodded and the barrista nodded with him. Her grin reached her eyes. “Hey, I get it. College is expensive and it’s nice to get off campus.”

Cas lowered his head. Going to college in Kansas had sounded like a wonderful opportunity until he had arrived. The day to day was boring at best and lonely at worst. Classes were dull and basic, and he often wondered if he should have stayed closer to his brothers.

The cafe, on the other hand, was a haven. Warmth bloomed in Cas’s chest as he looked around. The people were eclectic and he liked imagining their stories. The walls, adorned with paintings of angels, made him feel at home. “I find this place inspiring.” 

The woman’s smile became even brighter, “Yeah? That’s great! I bet our owner would love to hear that.”

If Cas had created a space that inspired, he would wish to hear the same.

“Hey, why don’t I get you a new tea bag and fill you up?” Cas grimaced. He really didn’t have the money. “On the house, of course!”

“I could not possibly-“

“Not at all!” Before he could protest any more, she ran off with his mug.

Cas considered the cross-eyed cat once more. The cat appeared to dance with joy, his eyes trained on everything at once. It had much character. Cas grinned.

The mug thumped on the table and he smiled up at the barrista. “Thank you.”

She chuckled, “Yeah, no worries. I know how it is to be pressed for money, be a poor college kid, blah blah blah.” 

She paused and watched with wide eyes as Cas carefully removed the picture of the cat from his sketchpad. He held it out to her. She stared at it in awe. 

“I have no money to offer. Please accept this as a thank you.” The woman’s expression softened as her fingers curled protectively around the picture. 

“Thanks, kid.” She took in a shaky breath. “Heh, my, uhm…” She cleared her throat, “My cross-eyed cat just died last month and I… it’s just like him.” She paused and looked off with a weak smile.

Cas reached out and grasped her wrist. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “No, not at all.” She glanced down at the drawing again and bit her lip before looking back up, “Hey, how would you like a job? I bet we could find you a place.”

The next morning, Cas stood behind the counter of Celestial Cafe and put on his apron, staring at the framed drawing of his cross-eyed cat.


End file.
